In 1772, Rohillas were defeated by a larger Maratha force When they could not repay the debt, Nawab of Oudh invaded Rohilkhand in 1773.

[5] The Nawabs even sought service of a prominent religious leader of Rampur, Najmul Ghani for establishing ancestry from Ali, which was widely rejected.

There is no natural barrier between Oudh and Rohilkhand and both share a damp climate due to their locality next to the Himalayan Mountain range.

This forest of Bhabar, no longer exists in present times but previously it led up to a swamp where the water would reappear at the surface.

Tarai extends for a breadth of 10 miles and during the era of the Kingdom of Rohilkhand it was better cultivated, especially as it formed a valuable retreat for the people.

During winter months, the cessation of floods from the rainy season cease, and subsequent fordability of the Ganges opened Rohilkhand to foreign attack, often in the form of their arch-enemies the Marathas.

The Mughal authority was further weakened by Nader Shah's invasion of India, allowing Ali Muhammad Khan to extend his power.

Ali Muhammad Khan distinguished himself by helping in suppressing the rebellion of the powerful Indian Muslim Barah Sayyids, who were formerly de-facto rulers of the Mughal empire,[12] and who had under their chief Saifudddin Barha put the Mughal governor Marhamat Khan and all of his followers to death.

He gained favour with the lower rungs of society and by the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739 he further strengthened his position attractinga large swath of afghans who took employment with him.

The necessity to consulate Ali Mohammed led to his appointment as Governor of Sirhind (the area between Jummuna and Sutlej).

[citation needed] In 1748 the invasion by Ahmed Shah Abidali allowed Ali Mohammed the opportunity to return to Katehir and re-establish his rule.

Before his death, he made arrangements to divide the Kingdom among them and asked Rehmat Khan to make solemn assurance and swore upon Koran to observe the promise.

Although the council carried out to an extent its purpose, especially in the form of Najib-ad-Daula who often went to great lengths in securing Rohilkhand's safety and Futtee Khan who remained loyal to the royal family.

[18] The Rohillas under Hafiz Rahmat Ali Khan[19] were defeated by Colonel Alexander Champion on 23 April 1774 at the Battle of Miranpur Katra.

The decisive battle, in which Hafiz Rahmat Khan died, caused the Rohillas to flee to the mountains near Loll Dong.

There was an unusually large proportion of Muslim converts who represented a quarter of the population while the majority of the inhabitants were Hindu.